Did God according to Islam send guidance to people who were not prophets, or only to prophets? I am just curious about this.

I am assuming that you believe Adam was a prophet, correct?

Walaikum as-salaam. Yes, I believe that Adam (pbuh) was a prophet. Muslims have to believe in all of God's prophets.

God sends guidance to mankind through his prophets and messengers. That is why we have scripture. Of course, all of us can pray for guidance as well and we may receive it, but not like the prophets did. The prophets were the direct recipients of God's word. You and I cannot claim to be prophets because we have not received God's word directly.

Originally posted by TG12345

Are there hadith that say Adam was a prophet of God? Do we know when he
prophesied, and who he prophesied to? Do we know what we taught?

A prophet does not just make prophecies. He can also convey to his people what God has willed. We do not have anything in the Quran or Hadiths about Adam's prophecies, although the Quran does say that Allah (swt) made a covenant with all the prophets concerning the coming of Muhammad (pbuh):

"Behold! Allah took the covenant of the prophets, saying: "I give you a
Book and Wisdom; then comes to you a messenger, confirming what is with
you; do ye believe in him and render him help." Allah said: "Do ye
agree, and take this my Covenant as binding on you?" They said: "We
agree." He said: "Then bear witness, and I am with you among the
witnesses."" (3:81)

So, every prophet would have told his nation about the coming of Muhammad (pbuh).

Say: "Truly, my prayer and my service of sacrifice, my life and my death, are (all) for Allah, the Cherisher of the Worlds. (Surat al-Anaam: 162)

Did God according to Islam send guidance to people who were not prophets, or only to prophets? I am just curious about this.

I am assuming that you believe Adam was a prophet, correct?

Originally posted by islamispeace

Walaikum as-salaam. Yes, I believe that Adam (pbuh) was a prophet. Muslims have to believe in all of God's prophets.

On what basis do you believe he was a prophet?

Originally posted by islamispeace

God sends guidance to mankind through his prophets and messengers. That is why we have scripture. Of course, all of us can pray for guidance as well and we may receive it, but not like the prophets did. The prophets were the direct recipients of God's word. You and I cannot claim to be prophets because we have not received God's word directly.

Thank you for explaining.

Originally posted by TG12345

Are there hadith that say Adam was a prophet of God? Do we know when he
prophesied, and who he prophesied to? Do we know what we taught?

Originally posted by islamispeace

A prophet does not just make prophecies. He can also convey to his people what God has willed. We do not have anything in the Quran or Hadiths about Adam's prophecies, although the Quran does say that Allah (swt) made a covenant with all the prophets concerning the coming of Muhammad (pbuh):

"Behold! Allah took the covenant of the prophets, saying: "I give you a
Book and Wisdom; then comes to you a messenger, confirming what is with
you; do ye believe in him and render him help." Allah said: "Do ye
agree, and take this my Covenant as binding on you?" They said: "We
agree." He said: "Then bear witness, and I am with you among the
witnesses."" (3:81)

So, every prophet would have told his nation about the coming of Muhammad (pbuh).

Salaam Alaikum. Thanks for sharing 3:81, but I don't see how it answers the question. It does not say Adam was a prophet, or what he conveyed to the people of his time, or who he conveyed it to.

Again, are there verses in the Quran or authentic hadith that say Adam was a prophet, and if so, what did he teach or prophecy and/or who he taught or prophesied to?

God spoke directly to Adam (pbuh) and gave him guidance. Would that not make him a prophet? The Quran also says:

"Allah did choose Adam and Noah, the family of Abraham, and the family of 'Imran above all people,-" (3:33)

This is more evidence that Adam (pbuh) was a prophet.

Originally posted by TG12345

Salaam Alaikum. Thanks for sharing 3:81, but I don't see how it answers
the question. It does not say Adam was a prophet, or what he conveyed to
the people of his time, or who he conveyed it to.

Again, are
there verses in the Quran or authentic hadith that say Adam was a
prophet, and if so, what did he teach or prophecy and/or who he taught
or prophesied to?

I already explained this. The Quran does not literally say "Adam was a prophet". It does say that Adam (pbuh) received God's guidance and was chosen by Him. That makes him a prophet.

There is also a hadith which speaks about the Day of Judgment, when some people will approach the prophets to speak on their behalf to God. This hadith offers a clue that Adam (pbuh) was a prophet, but not a messenger:

"Narrated Abu Huraira: We were in the company of the Prophet at a banquet
and a cooked (mutton) forearm was set before him, and he used to like
it. He ate a morsel of it and said, "I will be the chief of all the
people on the Day of Resurrection. Do you know how Allah will gather all
the first and the last (people) in one level place where an observer
will be able to see (all) of them and they will be able to hear the
announcer, and the sun will come near to them. Some People will say:
Don't you see, in what condition you are and the state to which you have
reached? Why don't you look for a person who can intercede for you with
your Lord? Some people will say: Appeal to your father, Adam.' They will go to him and say: 'O Adam!
You are the father of all mankind, and Allah created you with His Own
Hands, and ordered the angels to prostrate for you, and made you live in
Paradise. Will you not intercede for us with your Lord? Don't you see
in what (miserable) state we are, and to what condition we have
reached?' On that Adam will reply,
'My Lord is so angry as He has never been before and will never be in
the future; (besides), He forbade me (to eat from) the tree, but I
disobeyed (Him), (I am worried about) myself! Myself! Go to somebody
else; go to Noah.' They will go to Noah and say; 'O Noah!
You are the first amongst the messengers of Allah to the people of the
earth, and Allah named you a thankful slave. Don't you see in what a
(miserable) state we are and to what condition we have reached? Will you
not intercede for us with your Lord? Noah
will reply: 'Today my Lord has become so angry as he had never been
before and will never be in the future Myself! Myself! Go to the Prophet
(Muhammad). The people will come to me, and I will prostrate myself
underneath Allah's Throne. Then I will be addressed: 'O Muhammad! Raise
your head; intercede, for your intercession will be accepted, and ask
(for anything). for you will be given."
(Book #55, Hadith #556)

Notice that this hadith states that Noah (pbuh) was the first "messenger". A messenger (rasul) is also a prophet (nabi) but a prophet is not necessarily a messenger. Since Noah (pbuh) was a messenger, he was also a prophet, but the hadith specifically refers to him as the first messenger, not the first prophet. This means that Adam (pbuh) was the first prophet.

Edited by islamispeace - 24 December 2012 at 1:12pm

Say: "Truly, my prayer and my service of sacrifice, my life and my death, are (all) for Allah, the Cherisher of the Worlds. (Surat al-Anaam: 162)

God spoke directly to Adam (pbuh) and gave him guidance. Would that not make him a prophet? The Quran also says:

"Allah did choose Adam and Noah, the family of Abraham, and the family of 'Imran above all people,-" (3:33)

This is more evidence that Adam (pbuh) was a prophet.

Originally posted by TG12345

Salaam Alaikum. Thanks for sharing 3:81, but I don't see how it answers
the question. It does not say Adam was a prophet, or what he conveyed to
the people of his time, or who he conveyed it to.

Again, are
there verses in the Quran or authentic hadith that say Adam was a
prophet, and if so, what did he teach or prophecy and/or who he taught
or prophesied to?

I already explained this. The Quran does not literally say "Adam was a prophet". It does say that Adam (pbuh) received God's guidance and was chosen by Him. That makes him a prophet.

There is also a hadith which speaks about the Day of Judgment, when some people will approach the prophets to speak on their behalf to God. This hadith offers a clue that Adam (pbuh) was a prophet, but not a messenger:

"Narrated Abu Huraira: We were in the company of the Prophet at a banquet
and a cooked (mutton) forearm was set before him, and he used to like
it. He ate a morsel of it and said, "I will be the chief of all the
people on the Day of Resurrection. Do you know how Allah will gather all
the first and the last (people) in one level place where an observer
will be able to see (all) of them and they will be able to hear the
announcer, and the sun will come near to them. Some People will say:
Don't you see, in what condition you are and the state to which you have
reached? Why don't you look for a person who can intercede for you with
your Lord? Some people will say: Appeal to your father, Adam.' They will go to him and say: 'O Adam!
You are the father of all mankind, and Allah created you with His Own
Hands, and ordered the angels to prostrate for you, and made you live in
Paradise. Will you not intercede for us with your Lord? Don't you see
in what (miserable) state we are, and to what condition we have
reached?' On that Adam will reply,
'My Lord is so angry as He has never been before and will never be in
the future; (besides), He forbade me (to eat from) the tree, but I
disobeyed (Him), (I am worried about) myself! Myself! Go to somebody
else; go to Noah.' They will go to Noah and say; 'O Noah!
You are the first amongst the messengers of Allah to the people of the
earth, and Allah named you a thankful slave. Don't you see in what a
(miserable) state we are and to what condition we have reached? Will you
not intercede for us with your Lord? Noah
will reply: 'Today my Lord has become so angry as he had never been
before and will never be in the future Myself! Myself! Go to the Prophet
(Muhammad). The people will come to me, and I will prostrate myself
underneath Allah's Throne. Then I will be addressed: 'O Muhammad! Raise
your head; intercede, for your intercession will be accepted, and ask
(for anything). for you will be given."
(Book #55, Hadith #556)

Notice that this hadith states that Noah (pbuh) was the first "messenger". A messenger (rasul) is also a prophet (nabi) but a prophet is not necessarily a messenger. Since Noah (pbuh) was a messenger, he was also a prophet, but the hadith specifically refers to him as the first messenger, not the first prophet. This means that Adam (pbuh) was the first prophet.

Assalamu Alaikum, Islamispeace.

Thank you for answering my question. 3:33 I think does demonstrate that Adam was a prophet.

In his tafsir, Ibn Jalalayn writes he was a prophet.

Lo! God preferred,
He has chosen, Adam and Noah and the House of Abraham and the House of
‘Imrān, meaning [He preferred] their selves [sc. Abraham and ‘Imrān],
above the worlds, by making prophethood reside in [them and] their
progeny:http://www.altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=0&tTafsirNo=74&tSoraNo=3&tAyahNo=33&tDisplay=yes&UserProfile=0&LanguageId=2

The hadith you cited does not say Adam was a prophet, only that people appealed to him and that he was the father of all people. I think though that 3:33, especially with the commentary by Ibn Jalalayn, helps clarify that issue.

Did God according to Islam send guidance to people who were not prophets, or only to prophets? I am just curious about this.I am assuming that you believe Adam was a prophet, correct?Shukran.

God guides everyone.

The prophets (nabi) and messengers (rasul) are chosen by God for a special mission - that is to 'convey' the message of guidance to their people. However the individual people guided by God are not obliged to 'convey' their inspiration to anyone.
This is the basic difference between the guidance received sent to messengers and prophets, and ordinary people.
For this reason, the responsibility of accepting the guidance from prophets and messengers does not lie on them, rather on the people who receive it.
Allah says in the Quran that Muhammad (saw) is not responsible to make people believe - his only responsibility is to 'convey' the message.
Allah also says He is the One who turns the hearts to guidance. Thus after the message has been conveyed by the prophets and messengers Allah shows the light in the individual hearts so they are guided to it.

On a side note, the tafsir book you mentioned is called 'Tafsir al Jalalayn'. It can be tranlated as Tafsir of Two Jalals, because it was compiled in its final form by two people of the same name - 'Jalal ad Din' namely; Jalal ad Din al Mahalli and Jalal ad Din as Suyuti.

The hadith states that Noah (pbuh) was the first messenger (rasul), not the first prophet (nabi). That implies that Adam (pbuh), who was not a rasul, was a nabi.

How does it imply that Adam was the first prophet? The word "prophet" is used only twice, both times in reference to Muhammad.

The people's speech to Adam includes nothing of him being a prophet, not even teaching anything for that matter.' They will go to him and say: 'O Adam!
You are the father of all mankind, and Allah created you with His Own
Hands, and ordered the angels to prostrate for you, and made you live in
Paradise. Will you not intercede for us with your Lord? Don't you see
in what (miserable) state we are, and to what condition we have
reached?'

Not trying to be rude, but do you see anything here about him being a prophet? They only interceded to him because he was created by God first and that allegedly He made angels prostrate towards him.

"Narrated Abu Huraira: We were in the company of the Prophet at a banquet
and a cooked (mutton) forearm was set before him, and he used to like
it. He ate a morsel of it and said, "I will be the chief of all the
people on the Day of Resurrection. Do you know how Allah will gather all
the first and the last (people) in one level place where an observer
will be able to see (all) of them and they will be able to hear the
announcer, and the sun will come near to them. Some People will say:
Don't you see, in what condition you are and the state to which you have
reached? Why don't you look for a person who can intercede for you with
your Lord? Some people will say: Appeal to your father, Adam.' They will go to him and say: 'O Adam!
You are the father of all mankind, and Allah created you with His Own
Hands, and ordered the angels to prostrate for you, and made you live in
Paradise. Will you not intercede for us with your Lord? Don't you see
in what (miserable) state we are, and to what condition we have
reached?' On that Adam will reply,
'My Lord is so angry as He has never been before and will never be in
the future; (besides), He forbade me (to eat from) the tree, but I
disobeyed (Him), (I am worried about) myself! Myself! Go to somebody
else; go to Noah.' They will go to Noah and say; 'O Noah!
You are the first amongst the messengers of Allah to the people of the
earth, and Allah named you a thankful slave. Don't you see in what a
(miserable) state we are and to what condition we have reached? Will you
not intercede for us with your Lord? Noah
will reply: 'Today my Lord has become so angry as he had never been
before and will never be in the future Myself! Myself! Go to the Prophet
(Muhammad). The people will come to me, and I will prostrate myself
underneath Allah's Throne. Then I will be addressed: 'O Muhammad! Raise
your head; intercede, for your intercession will be accepted, and ask
(for anything). for you will be given."
(Book #55, Hadith #556)

So far, there is nothing in the Quran or hadith that you have shown me anyways, that states Adam was a prophet, or even suggests that to be the case.

Did God according to Islam send guidance to people who were not prophets, or only to prophets? I am just curious about this.I am assuming that you believe Adam was a prophet, correct?Shukran.

God guides everyone.

The prophets (nabi) and messengers (rasul) are chosen by God for a special mission - that is to 'convey' the message of guidance to their people. However the individual people guided by God are not obliged to 'convey' their inspiration to anyone.
This is the basic difference between the guidance received sent to messengers and prophets, and ordinary people.
For this reason, the responsibility of accepting the guidance from prophets and messengers does not lie on them, rather on the people who receive it.
Allah says in the Quran that Muhammad (saw) is not responsible to make people believe - his only responsibility is to 'convey' the message.
Allah also says He is the One who turns the hearts to guidance. Thus after the message has been conveyed by the prophets and messengers Allah shows the light in the individual hearts so they are guided to it.

On a side note, the tafsir book you mentioned is called 'Tafsir al Jalalayn'. It can be tranlated as Tafsir of Two Jalals, because it was compiled in its final form by two people of the same name - 'Jalal ad Din' namely; Jalal ad Din al Mahalli and Jalal ad Din as Suyuti.

Salaam Alaikum, Nausheen. Thank you for sharing, and I agree with you that the responsibility for accepting the Truth lies not on the person spreading it but on those listening. In the Bible, Jesus told Christians to spread the Good News, that is our job. If people accept, great. If not, we tried and it will be between them and God.

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